Pile-elevator for sheet-feeding machines.



2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

B. GUSTAFSON.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1908.

PILE ELEVATOR FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES.

M A f 7 a 10/647 (P see a:

B. GUSTAFSON.

PILE ELEVATOR FOR SHEET FEEDING MACHINES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1908.

912,563; Patented Feb.16, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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{specification .ofi iiette rs Patent.

let l e F Applicationfiled September 18, 1908. .1 Serial No. 463,636.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it lanown that L'BERNHARD GUSTAF- soN,'a citizen of the .United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Pile-Elevators for Sheet-h ceding Machines, ofwhichithe following description,

) in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like numerals on the drawing representing like parts.

My invention relates to mechanism for feeding a pile ofsuperimposed sheets into pocontinuous vertical pile 0 sheets. Various devices have been em loyed to present fresh supplies of sheets int e ile form, and maintam as nearly as possib e a continuous su ply. These devices are more or less compli cated and expensive in construction and require considerable space, preventing ready accessto the different sides of the pile supports.

It is the object of my invention to resent amechanism which shall be of simp e constru'ction, of comparatively small cost of manufacture'and maintenance, which shall occupy a minimum amountof space, allow access to three sides of the pile su port, and

' which shall enable the supply 0 sheets in pile form to be maintained so nearly continuous as to-require the stoppage of the sheet feeding mechanism for but very brief periods of time. These advantages I obtain by providing two pile supports and two sets of elevating and suspendlng means either of which may be connected to either of the pile supports. One of these sets of elevating and suspending means is intended to be operated Sit i0 be seize intermittently from a moving part of the printing1 press or sheet feeding mechanism to cause t e. gradual elevation of the pile and mamtaim' ts upgermostsheet in pro er poby the segregating (Fevices.

"The other set of elevating and suspending means is intended to be operated independ-- ently and preferably manually. When the first pile support is elevated by the first set of elevating and suspendim means to a position where the pile 1s nearly exhausted, the second pile support which meanwhile has been su plied with a pile of sheets is elevated manual y bythe second set of elevating and suspending means. When the sheets have been fed ofi from the upper or first pile support the sheet feeding machine is then stopped, the first or u per pile support re- -moved, the first set of e evating and suspending means connected to the second pile support, the second set disconnected therefrom, and the sheet feeding mechanism again placed in operation.

No' vertical guides are necessary other than the usual backuidefor the pile of sheets, and access is t erefore had tothree sides of the pile sup orts, thus allowing the entire mechanism to e' placed in hitherto inconvenient and' inaccessible locations, and enabling the sheets to be piled upon the pile supports at either of the three sides as convenience may determine.

The nature of the invention will more fully appear from the accompanying description and drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

The drawings represent a preferred form of mechanism embodying my lnvention, only so much of the sheet feeding devices roper as is necessary for'illustration being s own.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a si e elevation of the pile elevatmg devices with portions of the sheet feeding mechanism proper shown in relation thereto. Fig. 2 is a detail of construction showing a simple form of connection between the elevating and suspending chains and one of the pile supports. Fig. 3 is a to plan view of the pile elevating mechanism s own in Fig. 1.

It is unnecessary to show the sheet feeding mechanism proper,that is the deviceswhich segregate the sheets at the top of the pile and de iver them one by one to the feed rolls and tapes by which they are conveyed to the rinting press or other mechanism. I have, owever, indicated at 1 a combing wheel, and at 2 an incline up which the sheets are passed by the combing Wheel to feed rolls, the lower one of which is shown at 3.

The pile'elevatingmechanism is supported site the transverse braces 7. A- common form: of edge-guide for the pile of sheets iajindicated at 8 on the side of the hamermm yvhich the sheets are fed. This constructionofframe presenting below the top' substantially nothin but four upright posts" leaves the three.

si es away from t enables the entire sheet feeding mechanism with the pile elevator to be set up in any location where access can be had to one of the three sides, although it is preferable that access should always be had to the side oppo-' rinting press, or What might be termed t e rear, because at this side the sheets can most readily be handled and the pile supports to be described changed.

The top of the frame is rovided with twotransverse shafts which or simplicity and compactness of structure are herein shown as arranged concentrically, one shaft being indicate at 9 as solid, and the other being indicated at 10 as tubular and concentric with the former. The shaft 9 is journ'aled in bearings formed in projections 10 from the cross-'barsfi. This shaft carries at one end a gear 11, and has mounted rigidly thereon near each end two winding drums 14.

' A shaft 16, arranged parallel to the shaft 10, carries thereon a imon 15 intermeshing with the gear13, and also carries a ratchet wheel 17, cooperating with the detent pawl 18, pivoted on the cross-bar 6. This shaft 1 16 is also provided with a polygonal end 18 to receive a crank by means of which the shaft may be turned manuall to cause the rotation of the shaft 10 wit its winding drums carried thereb the detent pawl 18 serving to prevent, W en desired, backward rotatlon.

A stub-shaft 19, arranged parallel to the shaft 9-, carries a inion mtermeshing with the gear 11, and a so carries a ratchet wheel 21 cooperating with a detent awl 22, pivoted on the frame. This shat is' provided with a pbolygonal end 23 b means of which it may e rotated manual as in the case of the shaft 16. A lever 24 is pivoted on the shaft 19 and carriesat, its upper end a pawl 25 engaging the ratchet 21, while its lower end has connected thereto a rod 26 by means of which it is oscillated from some moving part of the sheet feeding mechanism or printing press. By this means a-continuous mtermlttent rotary movement is given to the shaft 9 in time with the sheet feeding mechanism or printing press.

Two separate pile supports. are provided, and each is herein shown as consistin of a board or table 27 ,and two bars 28, for ed or bifurcated at each end to present an opene printing press or similar mechanism open and unobstructed.) Th s ended slot 29, asshown moreclearly 2. The boards 27 'rest upon these bars 28," x Y but are not fastened thereto;

Each of-the winding drums'12 and 14 is provided a flexible elevatingandv suspending member, herein shown asv consisting Tof 1chain.-- The chains, which, extend from [the drums12, are indicated at 30, and those extendingthe drums "lev'atf 31- These chains are each provided suitable means whereby they may be connected to either of-the pile supports.

herein: shown these means comprise a ring 32, "on theend of the chain, and a in 33 adapted to pass through the ring an serve as a rest for the bar 28.

At suitable points idler vided, mounted upon stu suspending chains pass over the idler pulleys to their connections with the pile supports.

In the operation of the pile elevator the chains 31 are connected to the bars 28 supporting'one of the tables '27, which is then supplied with the pile of sheets in the usual 'manner, the front edge of the pile resting against the uide 8, and to insure the proper position of t e pile during its u ward moveeys 34 are proment the table 27 is slightly inc ined toward -shafts, and the mittently rotates the shaft 9 and winds the chains upon the winding drums 12, thus elevating t e pile of sheets and maintaining the upper surface of the pile in the position desued for the roper action of the segregating devices. W en the pile of sheets is nearing exhaustion the chains 31 are pulled down, and connected to the bars 28 of the other table 27 in a osition as near the floor as desired. A fres supply of sheets is then piled upon this second table 27, and by means of the crank attached to the shaft 10 the second table 27 with its new pile of sheets is elevated until the top of the ile is close to thepreceding table 27. This oading and arrangin of the fresh ile of sheets and its elevation tsilres place whi e the sheets are being fed off from the preceding table. Ample time is thus allowed without stoppirg the sheet feeding mechanism of the ress for this purpose. When the first pile of sheets is exhausted the sheet feeding mechanism is stopped; the

table 27 is removed; the bars are then removed from the chains 30 by pullin out the p ns 33, and tipping the bars to re ease the forked ends; t e second table 27 with its fresh pile of sheets is then elevated b manual operation of the shaft 10, the her slight distance required to bring its upper surface into position; the chains 30 are connected to the bars 28 supportin the second table; the chains 31 are then isconnected therefrom; the sheet feeding mechanism is again set in operation, and the fresh su ply 0 sheets fed up intermittently as be ore. While the sheets are being fed off from the second table 27 the chains 31 are drawn downwardly, the first table 27 is set 11 in position and the operationproceeds as be ore.

It will thus be seen that I have rovided a mechanism which is of exceeding y simple one pile supporting table, the elevation for a short distance of the second pile supporting table, and the connection thereto of the intermittently operated chains.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A pile elevator for sheet feeding machines, comprising two separate pile-supporting means, two sets of e evating and suspending means, and means to connect either of said sets to either of said pile supporting means.

2-. A pile elevator for sheet feeding ma-' chines, comprising two se arate pile supporting means, two sets of e evating and suspending means, means for independently operating said sets, and means to connect each of said sets to each of said pile supporting means. Y

3. A pile elevator for sheet feeding machines, comprising two separate pile-supporting means, two sets of e evating and suspending means, means for operating one set automatically and intermittently, means'for operating the other set manually, means to connect either of said sets to either of said pile supporting means.

4. A pile elevator for sheet feeding niachines, comprising two independently ,operated sets of winding drums, two sets of flexible elevating and suspending members adapted to wind respectively upon the two sets of drums, two plle supports, and means to connect either 0 said sets of members to either of said supports.

4 5. A pile elevator for sheet feeding machines, comprising two independent sets of winding drums, two sets of flexible elevatingand suspending members adapted to wind respectively upon the two sets of drums,

means for operating one setof dru ms automat-,

ically and intermittently, means for operating the otherset manually, two ile supports, means to connect either of sai sets of members to either of said supports.

6. A pile elevator for sheet feeding machines, comprising a vertical frame, two shafts mounted at the top of said frame, a set of winding drums mounted upon each of .said shafts, means for rotating one shaft automatically and intermittently, means for o erating the other shaft manually, two sets 0 flexible elevating and suspending members adapted to wind res ectively upon the two sets of drums, two e sup orts, means to connect either of sai sets 0 members to either of said supports.

7. A pile elevator for sheet feeding machines, comprising a vertical frame, a shaft mounted at the top thereof, a second hollow shaft mounted upon and concentric of said first shaft, means for operating one of said shafts automatically and intermittently, means for o erating the other shaft manually, a set 0 winding drums mounted upon each of said shafts, two sets of flexible elevating and suspending members ada ted to wind respectively upon the two sets 0 drums,

two pile supports, means to connect either of said sets of members to either ofsaid supports. 8. A pile elevator for sheet feeding ma chines, comprising a vertical frame, two shafts mounted at the top of said frame, a set of winding drums mounted upon each of said shafts, means for independently operata ing the said shafts, two pile supports, two sets of chains adapted to wind respectively upon the two sets of drums, means to connect either of said sets of chains to either of said supports.

9. A pile elevator for sheet feeding machines, comprising a vertical frame, two shafts mounted at the top of said frame, a

set of winding drums mounted upon each of 100 said shafts, means for independently operating the said shafts, two pile supporting tables, a pair of supporting bars having forked ends for each tab e, two sets of chains adapted to wind respectively u on the two sets of drums, 105

one member of bot sets passing through the forked ends of each bar, means to connect either set of chains to either pair of bars.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificatiomin the presence of 110 two subscribing witnesses.

BERNHARD GUSTAFSON.

Witnesses:

' MABEL PARTELOW,

FREDERICK S. GREENLEAF. 

